ISAF World Cup- NZ well placed after Day 3 in Palma

The ISAF Sailing World Cup Palma, has hit the midway mark with more racing for the NZL Sailing Team overnight. With day three wrapped the qualification series is done and the regatta now heads into the business end.

New Zealand is in good shape with the Maloney and Meech siblings leading the charge. Three kiwi crews – Laser men Andy Maloney and Sam Meech, and 49er pair Alexandra Maloney and Molly Meech - are sitting top three in their fleet.

A further two kiwis are lying top eight – Josh Junior in the Finn, and 470 Men Paul Snow-Hansen and Daniel Willcox.

From this point in the regatta each boat’s score-card gets wiped clean and as the fleets enter the two day finals stage, (ahead of the one day medal stage) they will carry forward their overall position on the leader board. Their rank or overall standing acts, in scoring terms, as the first race of the next stage.

Day three belonged to Andy Maloney on the Laser course, the young kiwi coming away with two bullets from two races sailed, lifting him in the standings to second overall. Lying fourth at the outset of day three Maloney’s results from today mean that he goes into the second half of the regatta with two points.

Also on the Laser course, Sam Meech had a top day and his results, an 11th and a win mean he climbs to third overall and carries just three points into the next round.

'Andy had two good starts,' says Jez Fanstone, High Performance Manager. 'He sailed good beats, and he was just too quick. Sam was fast too – he won his last race. They’re a pleased bunch.'

'It was light here today, and racing was postponed until late morning. We sailed in a maximum 8-12 knots, so it was very different to yesterday. A bit trickier and a bit shifter,' reports Fanstone.

Alexandra Maloney and Molly Meech continued their good form into day three of the regatta, and was the best performing crew on the 49er FX class for the day. Starting the day second overall they added two bullets and a second place making big points gains on the leaders – narrowly missing out on overtaking them for the lead.

They head into the finals stage with two points and the knowledge that they have the speed and the nous to win races regardless of the conditions on the bay.

In the Men’s 470 Paul Snow-Hansen and Daniel Willcox had a strong day too with a second and seventh on the water. They progress to finals carrying forward six points.

Both Josh Junior and Andrew Murdoch sail through to the gold fleet for Finn finals, Junior taking with him eight points and Murdoch will carry 15.

Gemma Jones and Jason Saunders, New Zealand’s new pairing the mixed multihull Nacra 17 have sailed well enough to secure a place in the gold fleet too. They will carry 15 points.

Marcus Hansen and Josh Porebski were back amongst the action on the 49er course today after suffering gear failure on day two. Things didn’t go all their way, and with mixed results from today they will now sail the finals stage in the 49er silver fleet no doubt looking to regain some form.